NMDA treatment stabilizes the mRNA encoding for α2 subunit of the NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase by decreasing AUF1 protein level through a NO-cGMP-dependent mechanism

Background Posttranscriptional mechanisms of gene regulation, particularly those affecting mRNA stability, are emerging as critical effectors of gene expression changes. Although the mechanisms determining mRNA turnover are poorly understood, they are generally believed to involve RNAbinding proteins recognizing specific RNA sequences. Best characterized among the RNA sequences that influence mRNA stability are AU-rich elements (AREs), usually found in the 3'untraslated regions (UTR). The stability of a particular mRNA is controlled by specific interactions between structural elements of the mRNA and RNA-binding proteins. Of these proteins the best studied are AUF1 proteins that destabilize and ELAV-like proteins that stabilizes different mRNAs.